Brain Cheat Seat

Thalamus

 sensory switchboard, processes every sense other than smel

Medulla

controls heartbeat and breathing

Brainstem

oldest part of the brain, newer parts are built on top of this, automatic survival functions

Reticular Formation

controls arousal

Cerebellum

processes coordinates voluntary movement and balance

amygdala

part of the limbic system; fear and aggression

Hippocampus

part of the limbic system; learning and memory

Hypothalamus

part of the limbic system; reward center, hunger, thirst, sexual arousal

Pituitary Gland

part of the limbic system; master, works with hypothalamus

Cerebral Cortex

outside of brain, control and info-processing center of brain

Cerebrum

within cerebral cortex; beefy portion of brain

Frontal Lobe

within cerebral cortex; higher order thinking (what makes us human)

Parietal Lobe

within cerebral cortex; receives sensory input for touch/body position

Occipital Lobe

within cerebral cortex; receives visual information

Temporal Lobe

within cerebral cortex; receives auditory information

Motor Cortex

left hemisphere section controls movement of the right side of the body and right hemisphere section controls movement of left side of body

Sensory Cortex

area at front of parietal love that registers and processes the senses

Association Areas

not included in primary motor or sensory function, but involved in higher mental functions

Wernicke’s Area

an association area; language comprehension

Broca’s Area

an association area; language production

Plasticity

brain’s ability to reorganize itself, higher in younger people to overcompensate for damage

Corpus Callosum

connects left and right brain hemispheres (not on the top of the brain); hemispheres are not connected until you get down to this in the middle of brain, might have this severed bc of frequent seizures

Left Hemisphere

controls analytical thoughts, math/science, language/speech, controls more important functions

Right Hemisphere

emotion, artsy

Acetylcholine

enables muscle action, learning, and memory

Dopamine

influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion

Serotonin

affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal

Norepinephrine

helps control alertness and arousal

GABA

major inhibitory neurotransmitter

Glutamate

a major excitatory neurotransmitter, involved in memory

Endorphins

neurotransmitters that influence perception of pain or pleasure

Substance P

involved in pain perception and immune response